Protect The Gray and the Green - Part 2

"... they interpret these gifts"

(Photos by Mark) The National Park Service (NPS) uniform is one of the most recognized in the United States. Rangers are the people you turn to when you have a question, an emergency, or even a complaint. They are varied and experienced whether in plain view out on the trail or behind the scenes in an office. 

In last week’s post (in PART I), I began a message on rangers and staff. In essence, the “gray and green” – and our volunteers - are the guardians of our 433 national park areas and the amazing natural, cultural, and recreational gifts within them. 

Because of the NPS Organic Act 0f 1916, the gray and green interpret these gifts, study them, protect them, maintain them, and endow them not just to Americans, but to the world. Have a look back if you missed that post. 

As of 2023 the National Park System Operations budget provided funding for 20,495 full-time and seasonal employees (“a baseline number”). 

Since January of this year, however, the world of our gray and green has greatly changed – kind of upside-down. And challenged like never before, but this time, from our own Administration and its followers.

• Jan 20 - the Administration instituted a 90-day hiring freeze on the Federal workforce forcing the NPS to rescind more than 2,000 positions.
• Jan 28 – they emailed federal workers offering buyouts to resign — or stay with no guarantee their positions would be safe. 
• Feb 14 – they fired more than 1,000 probationary NPS employees – weeks or months into a new job (a mid-March court reversal comes too late for most probationary rangers.) 
• Feb 18 – Department of the Interior exempted 5,000 seasonal positions under the hiring freeze but unfortunately, that did not replace the permanent jobs already lost. 
• Feb 24 – travel beyond 50 miles was banned and government credit card spending capped at $1, stripping parks ability to buy even basic necessities like soap and toilet paper. 
• By Mar 3 – more than 2,500 park employees accepted the buyout — a devastating loss of experience and institutional knowledge. 
• Mar 3 – the Administration revealed plans to terminate NPS leases and shutter offices across the country that function as visitor centers, law enforcement offices, museums, and hubs for critical services. 
• Apr 4 – the Administration offered another buyout program just one day after a secretarial order forced the NPS to keep parks open regardless of understaffing. 
• Apr 17 – the Administration extended the hiring freeze through July 15, ensuring park areas will continue to face shortages into the busy summer season. 
• May 2 – they released the budget plan for 2026, which calls for a $900 million cut to System Operations. 
• May 7 – reporting reveals the Administration is moving to cut dozens of NPS grants for water quality research, archaeological monitoring, and tribal stewardship. 
• June – they gave permission to hire up to 7,700 seasonal employees (but most seasonals are hired by Feb and brought on in May). 
•  July – roughly 100 Superintendent positions are vacant and seasonal hiring is lagging far behind with roughly only 4,500 positions filled. 
•  July 3 – the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) reported “NPS has lost 24% of its permanent staff—nearly a quarter of the workforce gone, along with decades of irreplaceable knowledge and expertise. The remaining staff are overwhelmed and doing heroic work just to keep parks open, safe, and protected.” 
• July 4 – the Big 2026 Budget Bill was signed into Law.

This October, Fiscal Year 2026 will arrive for the Federal Government. According to NPCA, “Three competing funding measures offer starkly different paths forward.” 

Option 1 is the Administration’s Budget plan (we were given a preview in the Big Beautiful Bill). The Administration calls for a $900 million cut to NPS Operations, and proposes removing some 350 areas from the National Park System. Additional cuts include $73 million to park construction; $77 million to recreation and preservation; $197 million to Historic Preservation. 

Option 2 is the House of Representatives Bill. The House would eliminate $176 million from NPS Operations. It includes a $37 million cut to construction and also slashes environmental funding jeopardizing critical science programs and research that parks rely on to fulfill their conservation mission. There would be less protections for National Monuments; it would remove protections for endangered species; and withdraw protections for Voyageurs National Park’s boundary waters. 

Option 3 is the Senate Bill. NPCA writes that “the Senate released and passed through committee with bipartisan support…for fiscal year 2026, sending a strong message of support for our national parks at a time of mounting challenges…rejecting dramatic cuts proposed by the … Administration and House … It holds funding steady to support staffing, operations and public access … It rejects the administration efforts to divert money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.”

It is time to protect the gray & green just like they would do for you during your visit to a national park area. It is time for you to contact your two Senators and your Congressional Representative. You have some information as to what’s behind door #1, #2, or #3 and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Ask them to support this “lifeline” from the Senate.

"... they study these gifts"  (NPS File Photo)

"... they protect these gifts"

"... they maintain these gifts"

"... they endow these gifts"